Chapter 124 - 123: See With Your Own Eyes

Chapter 124: Chapter 123: See With Your Own Eyes

Zhuo Yan’s mind went blank. ’A secret? What other secret could there be?’

But now that she thought about it, everything she knew about Tong Xihai’s accident came from the news and her dad. ’Could her dad have hidden something from her?’

Zhuo Yan took a deep breath. Her mind was a total mess.

"Have you told your parents about the haunting?" Gu Qingyin asked.

Zhuo Yan shook her head. "I was afraid of scaring them."

Gu Qingyin understood but didn’t approve. "You should go back and tell them now. Otherwise, who knows when they might just end up dead at home without a clue what happened." She stood up. "I’ll go back with you."

Zhuo Yan felt reassured and nodded, standing up.

Lin Tian looked from side to side. "I..."

"You be good and stay home." Gu Qingyin patted her head with a smile, then took a talisman from her shoulder bag and handed it to her. "Keep this in your bag when you go out. It’ll keep you safe."

Lin Tian accepted it as if it were a priceless treasure, a goofy grin on her face. "Sister Qing, you’re the best!"

Zhuo Yan’s home was in the city center, not far from where Lin Tian lived. It was only about a fifteen-minute drive.

On the way, Zhuo Yan called her dad, telling him to come home for something very important. As for her mom, she was usually home if she didn’t have plans with her friends.

"Besides your parents, is there anyone else at home?"

Zhuo Yan shook her head. "No. My mom doesn’t like strangers coming and going. We usually just hire an hourly cleaner who leaves as soon as they’re done."

Before they went in, Gu Qingyin observed the hallway and noticed traces of residual ghost energy and Yin Qi leading from the corridor window all the way to Zhuo Yan’s front door.

The ghost energy at the doorway was heavy; it must have lingered there for a long time before finding a chance to get inside.

That’s just how ghosts are. They can’t enter someone’s home without the owner’s permission.

Zhuo Yan led Gu Qingyin inside. A smiling, middle-aged woman in a qipao came out to greet them. She froze for a second upon seeing Gu Qingyin, then looked at Zhuo Yan in confusion. "Is this a friend of yours?"

Zhuo Yan nodded. "Let’s talk inside."

The three of them took a seat on the sofa. Gu Qingyin distastefully brushed off a spot before sitting down.

Mrs. Zhuo’s expression soured at the sight, but she didn’t say anything. ’We deep-clean this house regularly,’ she grumbled to herself. ’It’s much cleaner than most people’s homes. Is Zhuo Yan’s friend a germaphobe or something?’

After they sat down, neither Gu Qingyin nor Zhuo Yan spoke. Mrs. Zhuo sensed the strange atmosphere and, looking back and forth, grew inexplicably tense. She forced a laugh. "Yanyan, would you and your friend like something to drink? We have coffee and juice, what would you prefer?"

Zhuo Yan was staring blankly, lost in thought, and didn’t hear her mother at all. Gu Qingyin, on the other hand, smiled politely. "Just a glass of water is fine. Thank you."

Mrs. Zhuo waved it off and headed to the kitchen.

Once Mrs. Zhuo was gone, Zhuo Yan snapped back to reality and asked cautiously, "Is... he here?"

Gu Qingyin nodded. "The ghost energy is very heavy. He’s probably hiding."

The hairs on Zhuo Yan’s arms stood on end. "You can protect us, right?"

Gu Qingyin let out a laugh. "A little late to be asking now, isn’t it?"

Zhuo Yan had been so muddled with panic earlier that she’d brought Gu Qingyin home without even gauging her abilities. It was too late for regrets now.

"Don’t worry," Gu Qingyin said. "He’s just a new ghost, one that hasn’t harmed anyone yet. Once we resolve his obsession, we can send him on his way."

Gu Qingyin seemed completely at ease, and seeing this, Zhuo Yan relaxed a bit too. "Sister Qing, could you sell me three of those talismans you gave Lin Tian earlier?"

"Of course. Five hundred thousand each."

Zhuo Yan’s eyes widened. ’That’s so expensive!’ she thought. After hesitating for two seconds, she still nodded. "Alright. I’ll pay you for everything once this is settled."

Gu Qingyin took three talismans from her shoulder bag and handed them over.

After Zhuo Yan took them, she wasn’t sure if it was just a placebo effect, but she already felt much safer.

Just then, Mrs. Zhuo returned with a tray. In addition to the water, she’d brought some grapes and strawberries. "Help yourselves while you talk."

Gu Qingyin thanked her, glanced at the fruit which was shrouded in ghost energy, then picked up her glass of water. She discreetly brushed the ghost energy off it before taking two sips.

Zhuo Yan hesitated, deciding not to give a talisman to her mother yet. ’I should wait until Dad gets home,’ she thought. She was afraid her mom wouldn’t be able to handle it and would be terrified.

The room fell silent, the only sound being Gu Qingyin’s loud slurps as she drank her water. ’I’m not trying to be obnoxious,’ she thought, ’but for some reason, Mrs. Zhuo poured me a cup of scalding hot water. There’s no way to drink it without slurping.’

The two guests remained silent, and Mrs. Zhuo grew restless again. She laughed dryly, "I have a few things to attend to, so I’ll leave you two to talk."

Just as she started to get up, Zhuo Yan grabbed her arm. "Mom, don’t go. Stay here."

Mrs. Zhuo gave Zhuo Yan a stunned look. ’Wasn’t I just trying to make it less awkward for them to talk? What’s the point of me sitting here in this uncomfortable silence?’

Fortunately, it wasn’t long before Mr. Zhuo came home.

"You called me home in such a hurry. What’s going on?" As Mr. Zhuo spoke, his gaze landed on Gu Qingyin. He was taken aback by her beauty, and seeing his daughter’s strange mood, a suspicion formed in his mind.

"Are you..." Mr. Zhuo asked hesitantly, "...dating?"

Zhuo Yan froze, an exasperated look on her face. "Dad, what are you thinking?" She sighed, her mood surprisingly lighter than before. "Dad, sit down first. What we’re about to say might completely upend your worldview, but I swear it’s all true. We are absolutely not trying to deceive you."

Mr. Zhuo sat down beside Mrs. Zhuo, his brow knitting into its usual furrow. "Go on."

Zhuo Yan wasn’t sure how to begin, so she looked to Gu Qingyin for help.

Gu Qingyin understood and took over. "Allow me." She smiled, then dropped a bombshell. "Your house is haunted. Zhuo Yan hired me to get rid of the ghost. It’s someone you know, actually—Tong Xihai, the man who died in that accident not long ago."

Mrs. Zhuo jumped, her body jolting involuntarily. She looked at her husband, her expression utterly lost and bewildered.

Mr. Zhuo’s frown deepened. "What nonsense is this! We were very sorry to hear about Tong Xihai’s death, but it was an accident. Even if he did become a ghost, he would have no reason to come to our home."

Zhuo Yan was carefully watching her father’s expression. ’He really doesn’t look like he’s hiding anything; he seems completely frank,’ she thought. ’But if there’s no secret, then just like he said, why would Tong Xihai’s ghost come to our home?’

"Since Mr. Zhuo doesn’t seem to know, let’s start from the beginning." Gu Qingyin was completely unfazed. "Why don’t you tell us what happened on the day Tong Xihai died? How did the accident occur?"

"And why should I answer your questions?" Mr. Zhuo was utterly uncooperative, convinced his daughter had met a con artist. "Get out! If you don’t leave right now, I’m calling the police! Peddling superstitions and swindling people will land you in jail!"

Zhuo Yan looked mortified. "Dad! Sister Qing isn’t a scammer. She wouldn’t care about the kind of money we have."

Gu Qingyin lowered her gaze and chuckled derisively. "My apologies. I was too blunt. In that case, let’s just wait for tonight. I’ll let you see Tong Xihai with your own eyes."